Introduction

The Scarlet Pimpernel is a play and adventure novel by Emma Orczy set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The title character, Sir Percy Blakeney, a wealthy English fop who transforms into a formidable swordsman and a quick-thinking escape artist, represents the original "hero with a secret identity" that was a precursor to subsequent literary creations such as Don Diego de la Vega (Zorro) and Bruce Wayne (Batman).

Opening at the New Theatre in London's West End on 5 January 1905, the play became a favourite of British audiences, eventually playing more than 2,000 performances and becoming one of the most popular shows staged in Britain.

This content is from Wikipedia. GradeSaver is
providing this content as a courtesy until we can offer a
professionally written study guide by one of our staff editors. We do
not consider this content professional or citable. Please use your
discretion when relying on it.

L. Blakeney is considered attractive, smart, and witty. When she marries Percy Blakeney, no one's quite sure what she's thinking. Since he's considered a dull turkey and she a renowned socialite, the consensus is that she's married down.

The most notable comparison would be the bloodthirsty, mob mentality of the French depicted throughout the novel. The English, on the other hand, are depicted as level headed, giving, and rational. This in itself is interesting in terms of...